Owners of 2005-07 Ford Five Hundreds, Ford Freestyles and Mercury Montegos may complain of a squeak or crunch from the front of the vehicle when the steering wheel is rotated during low-speed turning maneuvers.
One likely cause for the noise, Ford Motor Co. said, is a defective upper strut mount. Installing a new-design mount, part No. 5F9Z-18183-B, on both sides of the car is the only reliable fix.
"Factory Fixes" is written by Jim DePalma, a 30-year veteran of the auto repair business who has served stints as a service manager, parts manager and ASE-certified technician. His column provides vehicle manufacturers' authentic factory technical service bulletins (TSBs) that have been condensed for easier reading. Mr. DePalma advises that techs always check with a dealer or repair information system for the latest revisions before starting to work on a vehicle. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].